Fort Worth Patient Advocate: A Place for Young Adults

Photo by HKS, Inc./Daryl Shields

 A cancer diagnosis is always devastating, but in the adolescent and young adult (AYA) population, a cancer diagnosis has different challenges. They are still in school, getting married, starting families, or beginning their careers. These are issues that are not always addressed and comprehensive care is not always an option. Most oncology units consist of either pediatric patients under the age of 15 or adult patients over the age of 40, leaving AYA patients in the minority at treatment facilities.

The Fort Worth Adolescent and Young Adult Coalition (FWAYAOC) addresses these issues and provides the tools, support, and resources that these patients need. This is a nonprofit organization comprised of survivors, health professionals, educators, and members of the community. Together, the coalition works towards giving these patients the highest standard of care and meets them wherever they are in their journey.

The FWAYAOC opened a new AYA inpatient unit and infusion center in May to provide an age-relevant treatment facility for local young adults, ages 18 to 29, diagnosed with cancer.  Located at Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center in Fort Worth, is the first community-supported AYA inpatient unit in the country.  

Justin Ozuna, the Director of Communications and Community Engagement of the FWAYAOC, is a fellow AYA survivor and is passionate about their mission.  When asked about this new unit, Justin said, "Our new AYA inpatient oncology unit enables us to expand the specialized care and age-relevant support that young adults diagnosed with cancer in our community need. Through the generous support of individuals, partners and organizations like the LLS, we have a greater opportunity to impact more lives and provide more hope to future generations."

We are so excited to support this organization and together be able to help this population better than we’ve ever been able to before.  I spend two days a week at this facility and am already enjoying the opportunity to work with these patients and share with them the resources LLS has to offer.  

Blessings,

Kelsey

The North Texas Blood Cancer Conference will have a special break out session dedicated to the AYA population.  Registration is now open so reserve your spot to this event on September 10th.

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Kelsey Thompson is the Fort Worth Patient Advocate for the North Texas Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  She meets with patients and their families at Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center on Mondays and patients at The Center for Cancer & Blood Disorders on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  Kelsey understands the patient experience as a blood and marrow transplant registered nurse. 

Contact Kelsey:

Kelsey.Thompson@lls.org

LLS/Baylor Patient Advocate: Introducing Blood Cancer 101

Getting a diagnosis of blood cancer is a lot to process in general. Then a new foreign language gets thrown at you with all the new terminology, labs, tests/procedures, and medications. It can be overwhelming and sometimes you just don’t know where to start. I am starting a new class called Blood Cancer 101 to teach you the basics of what blood cancer is, what the terminology means, and help you decipher this new language your doctor is speaking. Whether you are a patient, a caregiver, or you just know someone that has blood cancer, this class is for you. Understanding the basics will not only help you better understand the specifics of your particular disease but it will also help ease some of your anxiety about all these new unknowns.

The first class is on February 16^th from 10:00 a.m. -11:00 a.m. in the Cvetko Center (suite 200) at Baylor Scott & White in the Sammons Building. Come join me and start to understand what is going on in your body!

Blessings,

Kelsey

Kelsey will be writing a monthly blog post in order to keep you informed of the different opportunities LLS and Baylor are co-sponsoring.  Introduce yourself to her the next time you are at Baylor.

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Kelsey Thompson is a Patient Advocate for the North Texas Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  She understands the patient experience as a blood and marrow transplant registered nurse.  She is based at Baylor University Medical Center in the Cvetko Center.  She meets with patients and their families after receiving a blood cancer diagnosis.  

Contact Kelsey:
(214) 818-7890 

Kelsey.Thompson@lls.org

LLS/Baylor Patient Advocate: Meet Kelsey Thompson

The North Texas Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is pleased to introduce Kelsey Thompson, the new LLS Patient Advocate at Baylor University Medical Center.  She is housed at the Cvetko Center and meets with patients and their families following a blood cancer diagnosis in order to determine the best way she and LLS can assist them during their treatment journey.  Below Kelsey introduces herself.

"I grew up, like many of us out there, exposed to cancer because someone close to me was going through it. Being diagnosed with cancer is a whirlwind. There are so many unknowns and so much information being thrown at you, not to mention the gamut of emotions to sift through and process. As a blood and marrow transplant registered nurse, I have seen firsthand what these patients and families go through and struggle with. Things happen so quickly after diagnosis that a lot of times there isn’t time to really understand what is going on or how to handle any of it; you just have to act.

That’s one of the reasons I am excited for this new role with LLS as the Patient Advocate Manager at Baylor. I have the opportunity to meet these patients wherever their greatest need is, whether it is financial resources, disease-specific information, support services, or just being there to listen. If I can make one little thing better for these patients and what they’re going through, then I’ve done my job. The physical and emotional part of cancer is hard enough, finding resources and support shouldn’t have to be.

I’m here in the Cvetko Center, Suite 200, of Baylor Sammons Cancer Center on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. Come by and see me, I’d love to meet you!

Blessings,

Kelsey" 

Kelsey will be writing a monthly blog post in order to keep you informed of the different opportunities LLS and Baylor are co-sponsoring.  Introduce yourself to her the next time you are at Baylor.

___________________________________________________________________________________

Kelsey Thompson is a Patient Advocate for the North Texas Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  She understands the patient experience as a blood and marrow transplant registered nurse.  She is based at Baylor University Medical Center in the Cvetko Center.  She meets with patients and their families after receiving a blood cancer diagnosis.  

Contact Kelsey:
(214) 818-7890 

Kelsey.Thompson@lls.org